His Birthright
by madwriter223
Summary: Loki didn't think he'd get any visitors down in his cell. He certainly hadn't been expecting Odin All Father to come. And the King has much to say to his disgraced son. [Thor: The Dark World Feels Fix-It] Hurt/Comfort, a lot of Feels.


AN: Okay, so I finally sat down and actually tried watching _Thor: The Dark World_ from the start. I gave up about ten minutes in, during the Loki being sentenced by Odin scene. My reaction to the 'Your birthright was to die' line was essentially 'F*ck you, canon not accepted'. And so this was born.  
Enjoy.

**His Birthright**

As far as cells went, Loki's wasn't so bad. True, it was empty save for a padded cot, but the other prisoners didn't have even that small luxury. The cells were designed to be nothing but bare walls to further the feeling of helplessness. The prisoners couldn't even hope for any type of furnishings, they were being punished, after all. And yet the princeling arrived to have one already waiting. Loki snorted and clenched his hands into tight fists. Even abandoned and disowned, Loki was still given status above that of the rest of the populace. Ironic.

He wasn't left to muse on that topic for long, though. Within an hour, he got his first visitor. And would surprises never cease, it was the All Father himself. Perhaps he'd forgotten to take away something else from Loki in his verdict. Perhaps he wanted to punish Loki himself. Perhaps he wanted to spit in his face. No matter the reason, Loki straightened his back and stared dispassionately as Odin strode up to his cell.

"Greetings, All Father." Loki called, tone mocking. "Have you come to gloat?" He crossed his arms in disdain. "That would certainly explain where Thor gets that from." He added, matter-of-fact.

Odin ignored his words, as always. He marched up the side steps and through the force-field walls, the magic barrier parting for him like cloth. Loki eyed him warily, lips pressed into a tight line.

Once inside, Odin paused, watching Loki with an unreadable expression on his face. He tapped Gungnir against the floor and a wave of seidr washed over the cell. Even with his magic dampened, Loki could tell what it was – a veil, hiding them both from being seen or heard. What horrors had Odin planned if he didn't wish for witnesses?

Once the spell settled completely over them, Odin released the spear and stepped forward. Loki braced himself for whatever was coming. He hadn't been expecting to be swept up in a tight hug, though.

"My son." Odin whispered tenderly. "My precious son."

Loki blinked in surprise then his expression twisted into a snarl. "Do not mock me!" He hissed, struggling against the secure hold.

Odin wrapped his arms tighter around him, cupping his head with one hand. "Your birth right _is not_ to die." He insisted vehemently, regret clear in his voice. "It is _not_!"

And no matter how much Loki would deny it, even the memory of those words ached. "Then why say so? Why say so for all to hear?" He demanded in a hiss.

Odin pressed his cheek to Loki's temple. "Thanos has spies everywhere. I prefer you humiliated than back in his hands."

Loki froze at the sound of that name. The fight drained from him, leaving his whole body shivering. "You know." he whispered, throat tight. "You _know_!"

"Heimdall sees all." Odin's embrace tightened, almost as if he was trying to shield him from the outside world. One of his large hands started rubbing soothing circles across Loki's thin back. "He reported to me every day on what that fiend was doing to you. I know of every cut, every bruise, every wound he inflicted upon you." Odin pressed a tender kiss to Loki's brow. "I know every tear you shed, every cry you uttered."

Loki pressed his face into the King's shoulder, trembling all over. His hands fisted in Odin's cape, long fingers twisting in the material as his shoulders hunched. He resisted the urge to wrap the cape around himself and hide underneath it like when he'd been young. He was a child no longer, no matter how terrified he was.

Odin must've read his mind, though, because he reached behind himself and gathered his cape into one hand. He pulled it over his shoulder so that it draped over Loki, hiding him from view. Then he wrapped both arms back around his son's back and pulled him close.

Loki took a deep breath and his trembling lessened.

"I will not let him hurt you, my son." Odin promised in a fierce voice.

Loki's back hunched further. "Liar. You're a liar." His fingers curled like claws, fingernails digging into Odin's arm. "I am not your son." he sneered and, despite himself, pressed closer. "I'm the son of a monster and a beast!"

"You are the talented son of Odin and the beloved child of Frigga." Odin insisted. "Just because there is no shared blood between us doesn't mean we do not love you as fiercely as any parent loves their child."

Loki shook his head stubbornly against Odin's shoulder. "You renounced me. You locked me up. You said I should've _died_!"

"It broke my heart to say that." Odin answered, voice thick with regret. "It broke my heart to see you in those chains and not be able to hold you tight right then and there." He tightened his hold even more, rubbing Loki's back through the cape still covering him.

_/Lies!/_ Loki wanted to yell, but he could feel the truth in Odin's words. He'd always been able to sense untruths, he became the God of Lies exactly for this reason. There were none now. "Then why? Why the ruse?" Loki wanted to sound accusatory, but he was so tired. So very tired.

Odin's arms loosened around him and his embrace gentled. "To fool Thanos. If he believes you are already being punished here on Asgard, that you are reviled and have been abandoned by all, he might spare you his wrath."

"He will never spare me." Loki muttered flatly, eyes blank and hopeless.

Odin's sucked in a sharp breath through his nose, but didn't release his son. "Then at least he won't come immediately. Heimdall assured me that he remains in his star system."

Something in Odin's voice trembled, and Loki peeked out from under the cape. "You fear him."

"I don't underestimate him." Odin countered, but he didn't deny it either.

Loki closed his eyes and took a deep breath, inhaling Odin's familiar warm scent. He remembered hiding in his father's embrace after nightmares. He remembered rushing into his mother's arms whenever something would scare him. He remembered being absolutely certain no monster would be able to harm him with Father and Mother around. Childish nonsense, he knew that now. They could no sooner protect him from Thanos than they could save him from his monstrous True Skin.

"What will happen to me now?" He muttered, knees trembling with the effort of keeping himself upright. He was so horribly tired.

Odin shifted his hold and lifted Loki into his arms. He carried his son to the cot and lay him down gently. "Now you will stay here and rest. That is your only task for now. To get better." He unfastened his cape and covered Loki's front with it as if with a blanket. "Your mother will arrange for some thing for you, to make you more comfortable."

Loki felt anger swelling up in his chest again. "You said I'd never see her again." He hissed with a glare.

"Not in person for now, no." Odin cupped Loki's cheek and smiled softly when his son didn't pull away. "But she promises to project herself here everyday, so that you two will be able to talk. She has missed you greatly. We both have."

Loki worried his inner lips with his teeth. "And Thor?" he asked in a whisper, pulling the cape up to his chin.

Odin shook his head. "Thor wouldn't be able to keep this secret. He would visit you too often, speak to you too kindly. The ruse must be maintained as long as Thanos still lives."

"And until then, am I to stay here? With the scum of society, caged like an animal?" Like the monster I am, he didn't voice.

Odin touched their foreheads together tenderly. "You will stay here because this is the most secure place in Asgard. Nothing can get out and nothing can get _in_."

Loki pursed his lips. "Why not in the Vault? Will all the other stolen relics?" he asked, bitterness clear in his voice.

Odin's left eye filled with sadness, and again Loki saw no lie in them. "You are no relic. You are my child. Not by blood, but by heart and by choice. Both Frigga and I feel this way. You are our son, no matter what your words claim."

There was still no lie, and Loki curled into a tight ball under the cape. He was too tired for all this. It was too _much_.

Odin sighed and brushed his fingers across Loki's hair. "Sleep, Loki. Your Mother will visit you soon." He smoothed down the cape across his son's shoulders. "For now, sleep."

"Stay." The word escaped before Loki could even think of stopping it. He pursed his lips, angry at himself for the slip.

Odin placed his warm hand on his son's cheek, thumb rubbing slowly against his cheekbone. "I shall."

"Aren't you afraid for your ruse?" Loki pointed out, voice no more than a whisper.

"I've bespelled the barrier. Everyone looking will see the Allfather interrogating a prisoner. None will know the truth." He paused. "Once you are better, I will teach you how to control this spell. You will need to maintain what you show, but I trust in your abilities." He continued rubbing his thumb back and forth against the cheekbone, and Loki's eyes slowly drifted shut. "Sleep now, my son. Sleep and I will keep you safe."

Loki let out a deep sigh and obeyed.


End file.
